Review of "get it together"...

There are times when I get products for review that make me feel fortunate that I write this blog.

Receiving "get it together" is one of those times.

Usually when I receive a package of an item sent to the blog I open it, check out the contents, and set it in its place on the shelf to await its turn to be reviewed. When I opened the package containing "get it together" I did not put it down until I had finished reading it from cover to cover. But I still wasn't done, I then took the CD that comes with the book to my computer to look at the sample documents that are included.

The first thing I noticed is the graphical layout of the book, every time I turned a page my interest was held not only by the content but by the design as well. It's not just to make it pretty, but to help drive home the points and ideas presented in the book.


The book itself is 100 pages long and the point from the first page that is carried (quite nicely) to the last page is how to set up the workflow of a successful studio.

Some of the content I already knew (and do), other information I had thought about and the book drove home the point that is was a good idea, and still other things I hadn't thought of but were brilliant and will be incorporated into our studio workflow "system".

"get it together" arrived the day before I drove to New Jersey to shoot a wedding with Stacey Kane and I asked her to take a look at it, I was curious to see if a person with more time, more experience, and more success as a professional photographer was going to be as impressed with Millie Holloman as I was.

"get it together is an absolute must for those just starting out, it will prevent them from having to go through the painful 'trial and error... and error...and more error...' stages of establishing a studio system along the way to building a business.

A fantastic reinforcement tool for established photographers. It will help them solidify systems that they already have established as well as give them fresh and new ideas on how to run their studio more smoothly.

In either case, a very creative and inspirational sourcebook from a studio that has 'been there, done that' and continues to do so every day."

There you have it, four thumbs way up.

Follow these links to learn more about Millie and more about "get it together" at the website and the blog.

One last thing about fonts...

One of our kind readers sent this "flow chart for finding fonts" to me this weekend.

In the past when I have been looking for a project specific font it has been a matter of starting at the top of the (very) long list of fonts on my computer and looking for the one that best fits. I think it's called "hunt and peck".

Well, this flow chart starts out with of different project titles/types, you simply select the kind of project you are working on and then follow the line answering a series of "yes" or "No" questions until you land on a suggest font style.

I tried a couple different projects and liked the results, in the future this will be a time (and frustration) saver.

You can click on the image below (which will open the poster in larger and in a new window), then right click and "save as" to have on your computer. You can also find it here with the story of its design (and designer Julian Hansen).

Another New Jersey wedding...

This week we are back in Long Beach Island New Jersey for another wedding.

Some of you may remember the posts from last year when we were here and had the most incredible weather (see here and here), well we roll into town last night and check in just before the most incredible thunderstorm.

But today is gorgeous, 74 and sunny.

Below are some images of the storm coming in, they were taken with an iPhone and processed (in the iphone) with Hipstamatic.

A bazillion free fonts...

There are times when you are working on a project for a client, like a card, calendar, or book, and the standard fonts you find on your computer just are not doing it for you.

Well here is list of websites that have way more fonts than you will ever need.

1001 Free Fonts

DaFont.com

Fonts.com

Font Squirrel

Get Free Fonts

Simply The Best Fonts

Urban Fonts

If you download any of these fonts for a project I am sure folks would love to see it so email me a screenshot or join our Flickr group and post it there.

How should I price my photography?...

If you have even the slightest interest in selling your photography you need to read the article "How should I price my photography?" by photographer extraordinaire Jodie Otte.

In the article she gives a wonderful breakdown of what we should consider when determining what our pricing should be. It is a few minutes worth of reading that will not only educate you, but has the ability to put thousands of dollars into your pocket.

After you finish reading the article you will want to head over to her website and look at her jaw dropping images. One of the things you will notice is how naturally lit her studio images look, and no she doesn't have huge windows or a bank of skylights, she uses the same strobes and softboxes that you and I use, she just uses them much better.

You can check out her book "Studio Lighting Naturally", in it Jodie will teach you how to achieve natural studio lighting along with tips on photographing babies, expecting moms, and much, much more.

WEDDING DRESS WEDNESDAY

Like a fabulous work of art, a Rivini bridal gown designed by the one and only Rita Vinieris is worthy of appreciation. We chose "Savia" as this month's Wedding Dress Wednesday feature for just that reason. The strapless floorlength ballgown silhouette with beautifully detailed drop waist is quite simply... a masterpiece!

While working for renowned designers like Lacoste Canada in the mid-80s, Rita was also creating evening gowns for friends and family on the side. When two of her close friends got engaged and were having a hard time finding wedding dresses that were simple yet elegant in style, Rita designed the dresses for them. "As it turned out, I really loved working with the fabrics and silhouettes. After that, it was natural for me to move into the bridal realm".

The popularity of her work soon led to the founding of the Rivini bridal company in 1995. Rita saw a niche in the market for women like herself wanting luxury in clean lines and classic elements. Her design philosophy resonates with today’s bride seeking elegance in simplicity.

This stunning "Savia" gown, along with over 60 others, can be found at Ashton Station Bridal located in the Olde Church Shoppes in Carleton Place. Owners Luigi and Tracy Porcari, who recently opened the doors in March, proudly state they're the only bridal boutique in the world to exclusively carry Canadian designer Rita Vinieris' Rivini collection. Please note, Ashton Station Bridal is a 'by appointment only' boutique.

Just starting your search for the perfect dress? Here's a little advice from designer Rita Vinieris herself -

"I believe a wedding venue sets the stage for the overall feel, and it's important to take this into consideration when choosing the style of your dress. For example, if you'll say your 'I Dos' on a cliff overloooking the sea, I would look for a gown made of a light, sheer fabric - silk charmeuse and chiffon would both look stunning blowing in the breeze. If you're holding your reception in a formal ballroom, you might consider a more structured dress with jeweled embelishments. As for your hair and makeup, don't do anything drastic - you want to look like yourself. Everything should work in harmony so no one element overpowers any other."

3 speedlight lighting setup...

A few people have emailed asking about the lighting setup I used for the Mothers Day portrait that I posted yesterday.

I used three SB-800's, one on either side of my subject in small speedlight softbox, the center of each softbox was centered on their ear. The third speedlight was used as a hair/rim light and had the diffuser on (that came with it) and I used a David Honl flag to prevent lens flair.

Each subject was shot individually. So that perspective was correct and light fell similarly on each subject I shot using a tripod and the floor was marked denoting where the subject was to stand.

Clicking on either image will open it larger and in a new window.